Nissan Leaf Price to Take a Dive in the UK from 2012

Seen as a viable transportation option, but one that is still out of reach for many customers because of the high price tag, the Nissan Leaf EV is doing what it can on the British market, the first in Europe to have gotten the model.

Selling there starting at 25,990 pounds (including a 5,000 pounds Government subsidy), the model failed to turn into the instant hit Nissan was hoping for. Fortunately for the Japanese car maker, things are beginning to take a turn for the better. Not soon, but still

Because of currency fluctuations, the Leaf received another blow a while back, the sticker gaining an extra 2,000 pounds and nearly burying Nissan's hopes for the Leaf to make it onto the local market. The high price of the model, however, is about to take a dive, as the Japanese are gearing up to start local production of both the Leaf batteries and the model itself.

The first dip in the price will be felt next year, when the Sunderland facility will begin manufacturing batteries. One year later, a more significant decrease would be caused by the start of the local production of the car itself.

'Building the cars and batteries in Sunderland will bring prices down significantly because of the inherent savings – certainly below the original launch price,' Nissan's Corporate Vice-President of Global Communications Simon Sproule told WhatCar?

Aside for significant, no mention was made as to how big the decrease would be. Even so, a more decent price tag might be just what Nissan needed to get things rolling for the Leaf in Europe.